La Palais D'ivoire
Physical Qualities La Palais D'ivoire is the single largest city on the planet by a significant margin. Approximately one third of the land is occupied by a white-rock castle, which is itself larger than any other stone structure. The castle is what gives the city its name -- The Ivory Palace. Interrupting the almost blinding white are many gardens of all colors. A few grow vegetables, but most are decorative. The castle is open to the public and the front foyer is usually occupied by travelers, merchants, and anyone wishing to see the queen. Libraries, dining areas, and a church are also accessible. Further areas require passage and are protected by armed guards. The city is mostly built upon white stone, with many houses and other structures on or beside it. The stone serves as a central walkway and cart path through the city. Due to the size of the city, travel from one area to another can take some time, and there are several carts running to ease travel for a small fee. Both the castle and city are adorned with numerous white statues to a female goddess, Sabine. Culture In La Palais D'ivoire, women are the leaders and in are charge of most important decisions and tasks. When regarding a woman, it's traditionally considered polite to address them as "ma'am" or "lady," followed by their name. It's also proper to refer to someone as "m'lady," which is typical when indicating that you are addressing someone for whom you have a lot of respect. This is usually reserved for the queen, but can be used in other instances as well. These titles are taken seriously, and people who overuse "m'lady" when referring to numerous people may be regarded as disingenuous. The city considers cleanliness and health of high importance. There is very little disease and sickness because of the high concentration of healers in the area. The military is also utilized to keep the city clean. Visitors usually find the white rock and lack of dirt suspicious or foreign. Additionally, the lower class in La Palais D'ivoire is somewhat well-off compared to other cities. There is usually enough food to go around, even if there is not much wealth or time for entertainment. The classes that originate in La Palais D'ivoire are generally restricted to alchemist, bard, cavalier, cleric, fighter, inquisitor, oracle, paladin, and samurai. Some exceptions may exist due to travel, although casters almost exclusively have access to cure abilities. Races are almost exclusively human, but aasimar, elf and half-elf, and suli are considered sacred and welcomed. Some are even included in the ranks of the church or military. The city is less trustful of monstrous races, although tries to welcome all visitors. However, evil-aligned creatures are not allowed in the city, and neutral creatures may be watched more closely. The official languages of La Palais D'ivoire are Celestial, Common, and Military Sign Language (historically, female only). Individuals who don't speak these languages may have difficulties communicating. Characters born here gain one of these as a starting language. If they already have all, they may gain any other appropriate language. Leadership Traditionally La Palais D'ivoire was ruled by a king, but the last king passed away over 1400 years ago. Since then, the city has been ruled exclusively by queens. The next queen is generally not appointed by a directly descended line; generally the role goes to a sister, cousin, or grandchild. The current queen is Juliette. The queen also typically appoints a deuxième, which is usually a trusted friend or family member hand-picked by the queen. The deuxième is essentially a second in command and assumes all of the duties of queen when necessary. The deuxième generally stays with the queen and goes where she goes. Some who come to speak to the queen instead opt to speak to the deuxième, knowing her schedule isn't quite as busy, and she has most of the same power. The current deuxième is Laetitia. Religion The primary religion that the city is built around is centered on the worship of the goddess Sabine. The goddess is representative of beauty and strength. The culture is largely based around her, and it's believed all of the healing and protective abilities of the citizens originated from her. Although the city worships Sabine almost exclusively, they are open to the views of tourists and travelers as long as they do not preach destruction or evil. The church is made up of priests and priestesses, nuns, and acolytes. Priests are generally called "Mother" or "Father." Acolytes make up the bottom rung of the ladder. These are individuals (of either gender) who wish to become devoted to the church and assist. They usually help with any sort of religious ceremonies and any type of preparation. Acolytes also accompany soldiers on various tasks to aid them with healing and support. For this reason, acolyte is considered a somewhat dangerous position. Most acolytes still have other duties outside of the church, although some do not. Acolytes may become priests after a certain period of time after they've completed enough tasks and taken a test. The test is allegedly very complicated. Nuns are female devotees of the church and the goddess Sabine. They do not have duties outside the church and are tasked with keeping peace, order, and cleanliness of the church. Nuns may act in a leadership role for church events and instruct acolytes. Unlike acolytes they typically do not leave the palace, and do not accompany guards on missions. Nuns are considered pledged to the goddess and are forbidden to have romantic involvements with anyone. Female acolytes wishing to become nuns are allowed to do so with a priest's permission, and a simple ritual in which they swear to devote themselves to Sabine. Priests and priestesses number fewer than the other positions, but they perform important tasks within the church. Their role is to speak daily for those gathering at the church about the goddess, perform any necessary ceremonies, and to oversee major events such as weddings and religious holidays. They are also responsible for assembling the voting party in case a new queen is needed, administering tests for acolytes wishing to become priests, and teaching acolytes how to utilize healing prayers. Priests do not leave the palace unless their healing abilities are needed for a specific task. In order of hierarchy, the church as an entity falls just below the deuxième. The priests, nuns, and acolytes make up a voting congregation that is capable of appointing a new queen if other leadership is unavailable or unwilling. This is the only governmental power available to the church however, and the individual members of the church are considered below the military ranks otherwise. Military The military of La Palais D'ivoire is made up of a simple hierarchy that report to their superiors, the highest of which report directly to the queen and the deuxième. The individual soldiers are generally tasked with simple or menial labor when there is no war. Soldiers are trained constantly, including during times of peace. All military participants are volunteers, and only females are allowed to join. Indigenous males are not allowed to participate in military activity, or to communicate in Military Sign Language. Males caught doing so are considered lesser and may be shunned and outcast, but actual punishment such as jail time is rare. Males who hail from other places are not judged by these standards. The lowest rank is guard, who report to lieutenants, who report to captains, who report to the general. There is only one general, who oversees all military decisions unless otherwise directed by the queen or deuxième. All captains report to her. Captains are in control of several lieutenants, each of which are in control of a personal "team" of guards. The various ranks are easily identified by symbols and pins. Though they wear armor, the gear is decorated with cloth of various colors that indicate rank. Guards wear red with pink pins. Lieutenants wear silver and have blue pins. Captains wear a combination of silver and red with yellow pins. The general, Vivian, wears silver and red like captains, but also wears a cape and is decorated in bronze. History La Palais D'ivoire began its history quite early. Historically it's not known when the area was first populated, as evidence of the city existing dates back further than the birth of power and the creation of magic. The earliest recordings of life in the area were simple villages of humans at war with orcs over land. The best estimates place humans first settling here around 600 BP. The city was first dubbed "La Palais" in the year 158, some time after the first fey appear on the planet. Already a central area for humans, the city was built up larger and stronger. The actual palace was built, though during this time the castle was built of gray stone. La Palais became a large, thriving home for humans. As the city grows, so does its commerce and military might. Eventually, most of the world's humans were concentrated in La Palais. In the year 367, humans began to push against the fey. Having grown powerful and fortified, the humans considered their city to be defendable against the fey and tried to push them off the planet and back to their home plane. However, the humans found the fey city of Schwarze Felsen to be very durable to siege, and found that the resources spent building up their own defenses were wasted as Schwarze Felsen never tried to counterattack. After three years with many losses, the humans eventually agreed to an end to the war in 370. During the Dragon War in 606, humans became involved and fought many of the kobolds that tried to approach their lands. Large-scale sieges by kobolds attacked La Palais and did some damage to the city, although the human defenses held strong. La Palais was finally defeated and overrun in 1635, shortly into the Dead War. La Palais found itself unable to hold back the hordes of undead. The castle was mostly destroyed and the inhabitants either fled or were turned. The defeat is recalled by humans everywhere as a shameful one. A short time after the war in 1655, humans began to resettle in La Palais. Over the course of a few centuries, the city once again became a bastion of human civilization. As the castle is replaced by a white-stone one, the city was officially renamed "La Palais D'ivoire" in 1876, although it is still often shortened to simply La Palais. Over further centuries, La Palais began to grow more inclusive. Travelers and outsiders were free to visit and live there, although most citizens remained human-centric, and the only overly successful races to settle in La Palais are more humanoid. Eventually some races such as aasimar and suli become viewed as being "better" than humans, and in some extreme cases even honored and worshipped as godlike. The current queen has reigned for 22 years. The previous queen was Queen Colette, a dark-haired human, who ruled for 56 years. The queen before her was Queen Olivia, an aasimar, who ruled for 241 years. The current general has served for 19 years. The previous general was General Renee, a suli who served for 68 years. Before her was General Monique, a human who served for 72 years. Trivia * Many terms are based on the French language. * Characters born here can take the Ivory Healer trait.